The invention relates to marine propulsion devices. The invention also relates to marine propulsion devices including a drive shaft housing which supports an engine, and an inner exhaust housing located within the drive shaft housing and connected to the engine. The invention also relates to vibration isolating and propulsion unit supporting systems for marine propulsion devices.
A typical outboard motor includes an engine, a drive shaft housing, an adaptor sandwiched between the engine and the drive shaft housing, and an inner exhaust housing connected to the lower face of the adaptor and located within the drive shaft housing.
It is known to provide an outboard motor with an idle exhaust relief system that discharges exhaust gases above the water level when the outboard motor is operating at idle or low speeds. Typically, idle exhaust gases are discharged either from the adaptor or from the drive shaft housing.
A typical outboard motor also includes a swivel bracket adapted to be mounted on the transom of a boat, and a kingpin supported by the swivel bracket for pivotal movement relative thereto about a generally vertical steering axis. The propulsion unit (the engine, the adaptor and the drive shaft housing) is mounted on the kingpin via "rubber mounts" which vibrationally isolate the propulsion unit from the kingpin. The rubber mounts are traditionally fixed directly to either the adaptor or the drive shaft housing.
Furthermore, in conventional outboard motors having V-type engines, water is pumped to the engine water jacket via a water passage defined by the lower face of the engine block and by the upper face of the adaptor. This water passage has an inlet end located forwardly of the exhaust passage, has an outlet end located rearwardly of the exhaust passage and extends around both sides of the exhaust passage.
Attention is directed to the following U.S. patents:
______________________________________ Inventor U.S. Pat. No. Issued ______________________________________ Kiekhaefer 2,547,128 April 3, 1951 Kiekhaefer 2,609,782 Sept. 9, 1952 Kiekhaefer 2,627,242 Feb. 3, 1953 Irgens, et al. 2,740,368 April 3, 1956 Kiekhaefer 2,911,936 November 10, 1959 Kiekhaefer 2,916,007 December 8, 1959 Watkins 3,002,489 October 3, 1961 Hulsebus 3,045,423 July 24, 1962 Mohr 3,127,866 APril 7, 1964 Shimanckas 3,148,557 Sept. 15, 1964 Larsen 3,198,162 August 3, 1965 Gazzara 3,282,373 November 1, 1966 Hoiby et al. 3,296,997 January 10, 1967 Kollman 3,310,022 March 21, 1967 Boda et al. 3,350,879 November 7, 1967 Post 3,358,688 December 19, 1967 Miller 3,520,270 July 14, 1970 Kenichi 3,552,121 Jan. 5, 1971 Tado 3,577,952 May 11, 1971 Taipale 3,599,594 August 17, 1971 Haft 3,750,615 August 7, 1973 Ellingsen 3,782,321 January 1, 1974 Miller et al. 3,911,852 October 14, 1975 Hall 3,934,537 January 27, 1976 Harralson et al. 3,967,446 July 6, 1976 Pichl 4,033,282 July 5, 1977 Maier et al. 4,036,162 July 19, 1977 Harbert 4,019,456 April 26, 1977 Harada 4,145,988 March 27, 1979 Sanmi et al. 4,303,401 December 1, 1981 Sanmi et al. 4,354,849 October 19, 1982 Nakahama 4,421,490 December 20, 1983 Ping, et al. 4,452,332 June 5, 1984 Hall et al. 4,507,092 March 26, 1985 Iijima, et al. 4,546,848 October 15, 1985 Price 4,589,852 May 20, 1986 Taguchi 4,604,069 August 5, 1986 Okazaki 4,607,723 August 26, 1986 Bergelt 4,625,939 December 2, 1986 Freund et al. 4,668,199 May 26, 1987 Hattori, et al. 4,714,132 December 22, 1987 ______________________________________
Attention is also directed to the following Japanese patent applications:
______________________________________ Appl. No. Filed ______________________________________ 54-25059 March 6, 1979 55-133541 September 25, 1980 55-155500 November 5, 1980 55-156562 November 7, 1980 57-68908 April 24, 1982 ______________________________________